The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-20

State printing for Bolton & Livingston. who
were also publishers of the Indiana Democrat
After the capital had been removed from
Corydon to Indianapolis. the Legislature met IN
a frame building on Washington street west OF
the ourthouse, until the old Tor new Capitol was
ready to occupy. and witnessed the orcaniza-
ton OF the first Legislature that met in the old
Capitol in 1886. Noah Noble was Governor OF
Indiana at the time, and was present when
David Wallace was inaugurated IN 1887 as Gov
ernor OF Indiana. eat
l became acquainted with many of the mem
bers of the Senate and House of 1886, but can
not call to mind but few now living. and among
who was a member of the Senate from Law
renee county. l heard him make his first
speech in that body, and from that day to this l
have regarded HIM as the best orator ever Indi-
ana had
During these days I boarded with Mrs. No
land. who lived Washington street, nearly
opposite the postoffice, when john Cain Tor Kan),
was postmaster One night during heavy
storm side of this building was blown out to
the second floor. and Miss Jane Noiand was
sleeping In bed close to the,wall that fell out.
The boarders had good laugh at her the next
morning as we accused her of kicking the wall
out.
The Cumberland road was in process of con-
struction through Indianapolis IN those days,
and. if I mistake not, it ran through ON Washing
ton street. and the hardest rough and tum BILE
Irish fight / ever witnessed took place opposite
the postoffice Saturday evening after the
hands had been paid off, and the party filed uo
with whisky. There we're about twenty-f en-
gagged in this melee and could not see that it
made any difference TO what man vas struck
by the striker.
Indeed. in those days Indianapolis was small
town, and nothing to recommend it more than
1t had been chosen as the capital of the State,
and while might give many interesting incl
dents that occurred in its earlier history only
desire now, more particularly, to refer to ore
that has been forgotten or neglected by those
who have attempted to give important events of
those days. 1 refer the old stage days,
when made many trip from Indianapolis 70
Bloomington by stage and now desire to refer
to an incident that occurred at the White-river
bridge. west of Indianapolis, in 1886, or. posi-
bly,. in 1887. on the stage line to Terre Haute.
which but few now living in Indianapolis may
call to mind.
AS Dickens says in his American Notes: In
diana had but few miles of railroad in those
days, and the travel was by stage and risec
steamers, while the bulk of the mail was car
ried by stage and the letter mail by horse
press (of which Dickens and Hubbard fail to
speak,, and there was much and possibly
more interest attached to the sound OF the
trumpet of the approaching horse express as
Dickens says there was to tho stage-drivers
horn. Indeed both were regarded with more
interest in those days by tho old and the young
than Is now given to the incoming railroad
train.
At the time referred to the letter mail was
carried between indianapolis and Terre Haute
by horse express, the carrier being supplied with
good and fast horses, and changing every five or
ten miles. running the horses at full speed be-
tween stands The route to Terre Haute was
one or extreme danger, as more money passed
through the mail over this route than any other
in the State, aud the carrier had been attacked
many times his approach to White-rver
bridge, and several times bullets passed through
his hat clothing.
This letter mail was due at Indianapolis daily
ate P. NJ. One Saturday night in November
or December. in 1885, about thirty feet of the
flooring in the bridge was removed by parties
who desired to rob the mail The horse express
came along at full speed and dashed into the
bridge. the rider not seeing the opening but his
horse did and he made leap for life aud sue
ceeded in clearing the opening in safety before
his rider could realize the danger in the death
trap that had been laid for him.
The next morning being Sunday nearly every
man, woman and child In Indianapolis were at
the bridge to realize tho fearful leap Of the
horse and the miraculous escape. Nothing as to
who were the desperadoes engaged in this plot
to rob the mail has ever been known from that
day to this ISAAC M. BRowN
C0LCMEUS. NoY. Is.